Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) have confirmed that Taiga Yanase will compete in the MX2 World Championship in 2027 after winning the 2026 All-Japan Motocross Championship (JMX) IA2 title.
HRC are continuing their commitment to supporting young Asian riders as they aim to reach the world stage.
During the 2026 season, Yanase, 21, who had been competing with the support of Honda Motorcycle Japan’s supported team in the IA2 class, signed an HRC rider contract.
In the IA1 class, HRC also expanded its development programme to Asia, signing 20-year-old Jiraj Wannarak, the 2025 Thai Motocross Championship winner. He became the first foreign rider to compete in the JMX series as an HRC rider.
These initiatives are not only focused on developing young riders domestically but also aim to establish the JMX championship as a stepping stone towards the international stage, helping produce riders from Asia capable of competing at the highest level worldwide.
As the first step in this programme, Yanase, who won the 2026 JMX IA2 Championship, will take on the challenge of competing on the world stage from 2027.
HRC will continue to support young riders with ambitions of reaching the world stage through its ‘From Asia to the World’ initiative.
Honda are asking fans to continue supporting Yanase as he takes on this new challenge in 2027, alongside HRC’s ongoing efforts to develop young talent.
